1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a flexible print cable for a magnetic head and to a method of assembling the same, and particularly to a flat flexible print cable (hereinafter referred to as FPC) which electrically connects the magnetic head of a floppy disk device or like device, which moves along the plane of a flat record medium, to a stationary electric circuit, and to a method of assembling the FPC.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in FIG. 1, conventional FPC 2 of the type mentioned extends in a plane perpendicular to the plane of recording medium 3. When magnetic head 1 moves to the inner or outer circumferential track of recording medium 3 as indicated by arrow A, FPC 2 having fixed width W is flexed while keeping the plane thereof perpendicular to interconnect between magnetic head 1 and an electric circuit (not shown). In the arrangement shown in FIG. 1, both end face 4 of FPC 2 on the magnetic head side and end face 5 on the electric circuit side are supported perpendicular to the plane of recording medium 3.
FIG. 2 shows another example of the prior art. End face 14 of FPC 12 on magnetic head 1 side and end face 15 of the electric circuit side are supported, different from the arrangement of FIG. 1, parallel to the plane of recording medium 3. However, the two end faces 14 and 15 are not included in the same plane, but are disposed in two parallel planes separated by distance D, and when magnetic head 1 moves, FPC 12 is flexed while the entire plane thereof remains parallel.
As notebook type personal computers and like devices have rapidly come into use in recent years, miniaturization of floppy disk devices mounted on these devices has become indispensable. Above all, since an FPC for a magnetic head is restricted in its spacing for flexure motion, width W in FIG. 1 and distance D in FIG. 2 must be minimized. In particular, it is sometimes necessary to restrict width W of the FPC equal to or less than 2 mm, and in this instance, there is the problem that a predetermined number of signal patterns cannot be assured. Also the arrangement of FIG. 2 has a drawback in that, when distance D is restricted equal to or less than 2 mm, the durability of the FPC against flexure is reduced.